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BUGGY TOP SUPPORT. 'No. 534,907. Patented Feb. 26 1895.

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FRANK M. MCMAHON, OF SOUTH CANADIAN, INDIAN TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN T. LO WREY, OF SAME PLACE.

BUGGY-TOP SU PPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,907, dated February 26, 1895,

Application filed September 8, 1894:. Serial No. 522,495- (No modeLl To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK M. MoMAHoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Canadian, in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buggy-Top Supports, of which the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved spring support for folding vehicle tops, and the object of my invention is to simplify and improve the construction of said supports.

I will first describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings and afterward particularly point out the novelty in the annexed claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a detail side elevation representing my improved spring support attached to a buggy and showing the position it assumes when the top is lowered onto the support. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing all of the parts of the support detached.

1 is the buggy body, and 2 are the bows of the top which are pivotally mounted on the body at 3, and supported in elevated position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 by the cus tomary hinged brace 4 which is pivoted at top to the central bow 2 and at bottom to the prop bolt 5 which extends out from the body rail 6.

Mounted upon the squared bolt 5 is a cylindrical block 7 having a square opening 8 passing longitudinally through it for the reception of the bolt 5.

9 is a circular plate rigidly mounted on the bolt 5 inside of the block 7 and formed with a series of perforations 9 near its periphery.

10 is a ring mounted upon the block 7.

11 is a double spring arm provided with a friction roller12 on its outer loop end, and having the spring coils 13 formed on its inner ends. crook portion 14 for the purpose which will presently appear. The spring arm 11 and coils 13 are formed of a singlepiece of stout steel wire. The coils 13 are adapted to surround the block 7 on the opposite sides of ring 10.

15 is a washer adapted to fit on the end of At the end of each of the coils 13 is a the bolt 5 against the outer end of the block 7, and. 16 is a plate formed with a central square opening 17 adapted to fit over the reduced squared end 18 of the bolt 5 close up against the washer 15.

19 is a rod secured in the plate 16 and adapted to project parallel with the bolt 5 and engage in any one of the perforations 9 of the plate 9. The rod 18 engages the crooked ends 14 of coils 13 for holding the spring in proper position.

20 is a screw not engaging the threaded end 21 of the bolt 5 for confining the several parts in position.

22 is a rod formed with the eyes 23 at lts opposite ends by which it is secured to the rear bow 2 of the folding top, and adapted to engage the friction roller 12 on the spring arm 11 andconfine it so that it will operate up and down on said bow. One of these supports should be supplied at each side of the y- The operation of my improved support w ll be clear from the above description, but will be further explained in a few words.

WVhen the top is elevated as ShOWll1l1 (l0 tted lines in Fig. 1, the brace 4: will hold it in this position, my improved spring support turning on the block 7 and assuming the p0- sition shown in dotted lines; but when the top is folded into lowered position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the friction roller 12 travels on the edge of the rear bow 2 within the elongated slot or loop formed by the guide rod 22, and supports the top in that position.

The support has proven very efficient and prevents the bending or breaking of the top bows, or their pivot bolts, and injury to the buggy body or other parts, which is likely to be caused in the old forms of supports by severe jolting over rough roads, while the preponderance of weight of the top rests on the prop bolts. Besides being efficient my snpport is simple and economical. The elevat on of the support can be regulated by removing the nut 20 and adjusting the rod 19 to any one of the holes 9*.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a folding vehicle top,

a guide rod secured to one of the top bows, with a spring support and prop comprising a and forming an elongated slot or loop, an adprop bolt extending out from the vehicle justable spring supported arm mounted upon body, a plate secured to said bolt and formed the vehicle body and projecting over into With a series of perforations adjacent to its 20 5 proximity to the top bow, and a flanged fricperiphery a block mounted on said bolt, a

tion roller mounted on said spring supported spring arm formed with coil spring extensions arm and engaging the bow and confined in which are mounted on said block, and a plate the elongated slot or loop formed by the guide secured on the end of the prop bolt and carrod, substantially as set forth. rying a rod which engages the ends of the 25 IO 2. The combination ofa folding vehicle top, spring coil extensions for holding them, and with a spring support and prop, comprising fits in one of the perforations of the plate, a prop bolt extending out from the vehicle substantially as set forth.

body, a spring arm mounted on the prop bolt, FRANK M. MCMAl-ION. and an adjustable rod 19 engaging the spring Witnesses: I 5 ends of the arm, substantially as set forth. J NO. 0. TOOLE,

3. The combination of a folding vehicle top, J NO. F. BOLLING. 

